23<\/strong>. the faith<\/em> ] Three principal senses attach to this word in the N. T.:<\/p>\n (1) Truth, or truthfulness, trustworthiness; e.g. Rom 3:3<\/span>, “the faith of God.”<\/p>\n (2) Belief of, or confidence in a Person or thing. This is its most common meaning.<\/p>\n (3) The revelation of the character, will and purpose of God ‘who cannot lie’ the only thing certain and permanent in a mutable and transitory world, and therefore worthy of hearty belief and implicit confidence. So here, the Gospel of Christ as taught and accepted by believers.<\/p>\n 23, 24<\/strong>. They only heard reports to the effect that, Our former persecutor is now preaching the faith which he once was seeking to destroy.<\/p>\n But they had heard only … – <\/B>They had not seen me; but the remarkable fact of my conversion had been reported to them. It was a fact that could hardly be concealed; see the note at Act 26:26<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n Gal 1:23<\/span><\/p>\n But they had heard.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n True fame<\/strong><\/p>\n True glory takes root and spreads! All false pretences, like perishing flowers, fall to the ground: nor can any counterfeit last long. (Cicero.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The widening success of missionary toil<\/strong><\/p>\n The <\/em>immediate influence of the labours of a missionary will, in all probability, be less than he anticipates: he will perhaps go down to the grave as one disappointed of his hope. But, like Abraham, he must against hope believe in hope. He has planted a seed, which will push itself forth on all sides. He has excited a spark, which will raise a flame through a kingdom. The flame once excited shall spread from breast to breast, from family to family, from village to village; in time from kingdoms to empires, and at length from empires to continents. But the flame must first be lighted from the fire that burns on the altar of God. How will the faithful missionary rejoice when by and by he shall meet not a straggling individual or two whom he has turned to God, but perhaps a nation of converts to whom he had been the original means of bringing salvation. (Professor Farish.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Persecutor and preacher<\/strong><\/p>\n Paul had the spirit of his ancestor, who sought to slay the Gibeonites in his zeal for the children of Israel; and when he was converted, he retained not only the recollection of Stephens death, but of the multiplied murders which he had ordered or encouraged, when, during the wild anarchy of Caligulas reign, he obtained authority from the chief priests to bind and slay. His resolution and strength of purpose were the traits of his youth, his manhood, and his age. Thus when the real work of Paul was understood the old fear of him vanished, and those who knew of him only by that work glorified God in him. Thus early in his career was the blessing of Jacob fulfilled in the greatest of the descendents of his youngest son–Benjamin shall devour in the morning as a ravenous wolf, and in the evening give nurture. (Paul of Tarsus.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Conversion reverses mens lives<\/strong><\/p>\n There <\/em>was a man, while Messrs. Moody and Sankey were in London, who got out a little paper called The Moody and Sankey Humbug. He used to have it to sell to the people coming into the meeting. After he had sold a great many thousand copies of that number, he wanted to get out another number; so he went into the meeting to get something to put into the paper; but the power of the Lord was present, and the arrow of conviction went down deep into his heart. He went out, not to write a paper, but to destroy his paper that he had written, and to tell what the Holy Ghost had done for him. (Nye.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The scoffer turned preacher<\/strong><\/p>\n One <\/em>evening a young man who had been educated for a barrister was seated with some gay companions in a London tavern, when his companions, knowing he was a clever mimic, requested him to go and hear Mr. Wesley preach, and then come and mimic the whole affair for their amusement. He went. The text, Prepare to meet thy God, frightened him like a bursting shell, and conviction deepened during the sermon. On his return to his friends they inquired, Well, have you taken him off? He replied, No, gentlemen; but he has taken me off. He left his companions, gave his heart to God, and became one of Mr. Wesleys most useful preachers.<\/p>\n Hard to forgive self<\/strong><\/p>\n There <\/em>are some sins which, even if forgiven by others, cannot easily be pardoned by the penitent mind. Dr. Bates tells us that the excellent Richard Baxter cherished such self-condemnation on account of his own sinfulness, that he was in the habit of saying, I can more easily believe that God will forgive me, than that I can forgive myself. Sin promises much in the outset, but dreadfully disappoints in the issue. What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? On the other hand, it becomes an irrefragable argument in favour of an early devotedness to the religious life, that whilst it bestows infinite blessings hereafter, it saves from incalculable misery here; and is at once favourable to a grateful retrospect of the past, and a happy anticipation of the future. (The Evangelist.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Observe–<\/p>\n Paul–<\/strong><\/p>\n The conversion of St. Paul<\/strong><\/p>\n As Gentiles by birth, we have peculiar interest in all that relates to St. Paul, not only in his conversion, as on this day commemorated by the Church, but generally, as sinners, we may often recur to this conversion, and derive from it instruction and encouragement. If there were such longsuffering on the part of the Redeemer, that He bore with a man who thirsted for the blood of the saints, and in place of visiting him with vengeance, constrained him by His grace to accept salvation through His death; who can ever have right to think his own case hopeless, and suppose himself beyond the reach of forgiveness? Now, we know of St. Paul that he sinned in ignorance, and that whilst persecuting the Church of God, and endeavouring to exterminate Christianity, he evidently thought that he was doing God service. He had been educated in the strictest forms of the Jewish religion; and felt a zeal for the law of Moses, whose authority he thought attacked by the followers of Jesus; and he regarded it as a most solemn duty to strive by every means to eradicate the rising superstition. Hence, it becomes a grave question how far this ignorance was an excuse for his crime–how far, that is, it can be taken as a palliation of doing wrong that a man suppose himself doing right. We certainly cannot admit that St. Paul was not to blame, because he all along obeyed the dictates of his conscience. It is clear that the apostle did not regard himself as, on this account, innocent, for he speaks of himself in the days of his unbelief, in terms which strongly mark a sense of the guiltiness of his conduct. St. Paul was answerable for cherishing such a blind and bigoted attachment to the law as prevented his admitting the pretensions of the gospel. He was answerable for that misguided and uncalculating zeal which allowed him not to see that the law was but fulfilled, in place of being destroyed, by the gospel. He was answerable for the rejection of all the evidence from miracle and prophecy, which we know to have been sufficient, and by which, therefore, he ought to have been convinced. We think it of great importance that men should rightly understand that they are to the full as answerable for their principles as for their practices–for the rule of conduct adopted as well as for their adherence to it when once it has been adopted. For we often hear of men acting up to their belief, and the assertion is made as conveying the opinion that a man is responsible for his conduct, but not for his creed. And what is done in ignorance is represented as necessarily done excusably; and thus the simple principle is overlooked, that there may be a sin of the understanding as well as a sin of the flesh, and that it may be just as easy to offend by closing the mind against truth, as by putting forth the hand to do wrong. All that can be said is just this–If a man sin in ignorance, obeying the dictates of a misinformed conscience, and if he die in his ignorance, and therefore without repentance, we have no right to think he will be pardoned at the judgment, unless his ignorance were unavoidable, so that it could not have been removed by any carefulness of his own. St. Paul indeed obtained mercy, but the form which mercy took was not immediately that of full forgiveness, but that of greater instruction, so that the persecutor might retract his error and turn his zeal to the right channel. Let us now consider the conversion of St. Paul as furnishing evidence to the truth of Christianity. You will all admit that the change which had been made in Saul was of the most extraordinary kind, and not to be accounted for by any of those sudden transitions which one sometimes sees in unstable and vacillating characters. He was a man whose whole prejudices, feelings, and interests were enlisted against Christianity. He could become a Christian only by the sacrifice of position, of property, and perhaps even of life. He must have thought Christianity attested by supernatural evidence, whether that evidence were real, or whether it was the product of his own excited feelings. And, accordingly, the scriptural account assigns a miraculous manifestation as the cause of Sauls conversion. The only man who would be likely to imagine a miracle on the side of Christianity would be a man pre-disposed to that side–anxious to embrace the religion if he can but prove it true. Such a man might possibly take that for miraculous which was only natural, and he persuaded by certain sounds that he was holding a dialogue, though he himself were the only speaker. But that a man in Sauls circumstances should have done this–indeed, it seems to us that it would have been a greater miracle than that which is said to have overcome the apostle. Besides, how could St. Paul have been altogether deceived? Perhaps he only fancied the great light; perhaps he only fancied the voice; but could he fancy his own blindness? He must have been sure that he could not see. This was not a point upon which he could deceive himself. And whence came the blindness? If you say from the great light, then it is almost saying that the light was supernatural; and, therefore, there was miracle. Or, if you think the apostle might have been struck blind by a common flash of lightning, what shall be said of the recovery of sight? Is this, also, natural? You may think it was. Observe what pains are taken to prove the recovery miraculous. St. Paul sees, in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands on him that he might receive his sight. A corresponding vision is granted to this Ananias. He is sent to visit Paul, and lay his hands on him that his blindness may be removed. And how came the two visions to tally with such precision? Ananias, left to himself, would never have thought of visiting Paul. The disciple would not have put himself in the hands of the persecutor; and so indisposed was he to go, that, even when directed by God, he remonstrated on the danger. We are sure, therefore, that Ananias really thought he saw a vision; and we may be equally sure that St. Paul really thought he saw a vision. But then men may easily fancy visions, and little dependence is to be placed on dreams. Admitted. But how will you account for the precise coincidence between the visions? for the thorough accuracy with which they fitted into each other? Will you call this accident? You may account for anything by such reasoning; but candid men will not go along with you in such theories as these. Pauls vision by itself might have proved nothing. Ananias vision by itself might have proved nothing. But when the two are precisely coincident, the correspondence demands authority for each. It is too surprising to be referred to accident, and if not to accident, it must be referred to Divine ordering; so that we unhesitatingly maintain the circumstances of the whole transaction to have been such, that Saul, who certainly could have had no interest in deceiving himself, could not himself have been deceived. And, this being established, we can point to the conversion of this apostle as irrefragable evidence of the truth of Christianity. The brightness which struck down Saul of Tarsus lights up the moral firmament of every after generation. The voice by which he was arrested sends its echoes to the remotest lands and the remotest times. Yea, even those unto whom the ends of the world are come, have derived their religion through the preaching of Paul, and may prove its divinity by his conversion. These, my brethren, are the chief points of view under which it is most interesting and instructive, to survey that great event which the Church this day commemorates. It may indeed moreover be, that the whole history we have been reviewing is typical, for it has been assumed by many learned men that St. Paul was throughout a type of the Jewish nation–a type in his opposition–a type in his conversion–a type in his preaching Christianity. You may easily trace the types if you remember that the Jews, after centuries of fierce and unrelenting hostility to Christianity, had been banished from the land of their fathers, and that after their conversion to the faith of Jesus, they became preachers to the heathen, and carried Christianity to the earths remotest families. We rather wish to guard you against an opinion, which has been often entertained and supported by such instances as that of St. Paul. The opinion is that if conversion be genuine, its period must be strongly marked, so that a man shall be able to fix the <\/strong>precise time of its occurrence, and the exact process by which it was wrought. Now we are sure that a rule such as this would decide against the genuineness of the religion of a great body of professing Christians. The operations of Gods Spirit are various. To profess to reduce them under a single description were to betray ignorance of their nature and effect. If the renovating process be in some eases rapid and vehement, in others it is gradual and silent, and is not to be discovered except by its results. One man may be converted by a sudden flash from heaven, and another through successive applications of the common means of grace. We know of no proof of conversion except the fruits by which it will be followed. (H. Melvill, B. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n How to welcome new converts<\/strong><\/p>\n How often, too, when some one who has been prominently connected with a denomination that is not generally considered evangelical comes out and declares himself for that which is counted orthodox, he is met with freezing suspicion, and kept at a distance by the picket-guard that is always peering out for spies; or if some, like Barnabas, should put themselves beside him, they will be suspected along with him, and draw down upon themselves abundant expostulation. Wait, say these cautious ones, until he has been duly quarantined; let him prove his steadfastness, and then we will receive him; not seeing that their cold reserve is just the thing most calculated to send him back. So, again, in dealing with young converts, how slow some are to believe in the thoroughness and genuineness of Gods own work. It was not so with Barnabas, and it ought not to be so with us. We knew a good Christian lady who went to her pastor for the addresses of those who were received from time to time into the Church, that she might personally call upon them, and congratulate them on the stand which they had made. There was a deaconess without the name!–a true daughter of consolation! and after her visits the friends to whom she had spoken began to discover that there was more in Church fellowship than the mere sitting down together at the communion-table. If there were more like her in all our Churches, these spiritual societies would become more like households of the faith, and the coming in of each new member would create a joy like that which hails the advent of a new-born babe into every rightly-constituted home. Where are ye, oh ye Barnabases? Look around, and see if there be not field enough to-night for beginning operations. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n Verse 23. They had heard only<\/B><\/I>] As a persecutor<\/I> of the Church of Christ, I was well known; and as a convert to Christ<\/I> I was not less so. The fame of both was great, even where I was personally unknown.<\/P><\/p>\n Though those churches in the country of Judea had never seen Pauls person, yet they had heard of him: <\/P> 1. That he had been a persecutor of those which professed the doctrine of the gospel, which he here calleth the faith, <\/B>it being the object and the means of faith. <\/P> 2. That there was such a change wrought in him, as that he was now become a preacher of that doctrine, for the profession of which he had formerly wasted and destroyed, the churches of Christ. <\/P> <\/p>\n 23.<\/B> Translate as Greek,<\/I>“They were hearing”: tidings were brought them from time totime [CONYBEARE andHOWSON]. <\/P> he which persecuted us intimes past<\/B>“our former persecutor” [ALFORD].The designation by which he was known among Christians still betterthan by his name “Saul.” <\/P> destroyed<\/B>Greek,<\/I>“was destroying.”<\/P><\/p>\n But they had heard only<\/strong>,…. What they knew of the apostle was only by hearsay; they had never seen him, nor heard him preach, nor conversed with him, only had it reported to them;<\/p>\n that he which persecuted us in times past<\/strong>; some few years ago, and not them personally, but such as were of the same faith with them, the church at Jerusalem and the members of it; which he made havoc of, committing men and women to prison, and causing others to flee to strange cities;<\/p>\n now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed<\/strong>; all as in him lay he endeavoured to destroy it, though he could not entirely root it up; he destroyed many of the disciples that held it, and did all he could to discourage others from embracing and professing it; he made use of the strongest arguments he was master of to confute it, and of the secular arm to crush and extirpate it, but now was become a preacher of it: by “faith” is meant not so much the grace of faith, though to show the nature, necessity, and usefulness of faith in Christ, and to direct and encourage sensible sinners, as he did the jailer, to believe in him, was a principal part of his ministry; but rather the doctrine of faith, which is always designed, when it is said, as here, to be preached or to be obeyed, stood fast in and contended for, or to be departed and erred from, to be made shipwreck of and denied. The Gospel is called the word of faith, the mystery of faith, the faith of the Gospel, common faith, most holy faith, the faith once delivered to the saints; it contains things to be believed; it proposes and directs to the great object of faith; and is the means of implanting and increasing that grace, and without which the ministry of it is of no use: it takes in all articles of faith, respecting the divine Being, the unity of God, the trinity of persons in the Godhead, the equal and proper deity of each person, their personal distinctions from each other, the attribution of all divine works, worship and honour to them; it relates to everything concerning man, in his original creation, in his state of innocence and integrity; concerning the fall of Adam, the imputation of his sin to all his posterity, the corruption of human nature, and the impotence of man to all that is spiritually good: it regards all the acts of grace of the Father, Son, and Spirit, in and towards any of the sons of men: it includes all the doctrines of it, as of the free, sovereign, everlasting, and unchangeable love of God; of eternal, personal, and irrespective election of some to grace and glory, by which both are secured; of the everlasting, absolute, unconditional, and sure covenant of grace; of particular redemption by Christ, proceeding on a full satisfaction to divine justice; of justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ; of reconciliation and pardon by his blood; of regeneration and sanctification by the Spirit; of the perseverance of the saints in faith and holiness, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal glory: now this faith, in the several momentous branches of it, the apostle preached, published, declared, spoke out openly and publicly; fully and completely, without dropping, concealing, or keeping back anything; clearly and plainly, without using ambiguous phrases, or words of double meaning, with all faithfulness and integrity, boldness and constancy.<\/p>\n They only heard <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Periphrastic imperfect, “They were only hearing from time to time.”<\/P> That once persecuted us <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Present active articular participle, a sort of participle of antecedent time suggested by <\/SPAN><\/span>, “the one who used to persecute us once upon a time.”<\/P> The faith <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Here used in the sense of “the gospel” as in Ac 6:7<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n They had heard [ ] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Correlative with I was unknown, verse 22. Note the periphrasis of the participle with the substantive verb, expressing duration. They were hearing all the time that I was thus unknown to them in person. <\/P> The faith. See on Act 6:7<\/span>, and comp. 2Th 3:2<\/span>. The subjective conception of faith as trustful and assured acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior, tends to become objective, so that the subjective principle is sometimes regarded objectively. This is very striking in the Pastoral Epistles.<\/P> <\/p>\n 1) “But they had heard only,”<\/strong> (monon de akountes esan) “But they had heard only,” or “were hearing only,” by reports of those individuals who had seen and heard his testimony and preaching:<\/p>\n 2) “That he which persecuted us in times past,”<\/strong> (hoti ho diokon hemas pote) “That the one formerly persecuting them;” their persecutor of former times, Act 8:1<\/span>; Act 8:3<\/span>.<\/p>\n 3) “Now preacheth the faith,”<\/strong> (nun euangelizetai ten pistin) “now and hereafter, continually, preaches the faith, the system of teachings of Christ, by word and by example of life, 1Co 9:26-27<\/span>; 1Co 11:1-2<\/span>.<\/p>\n 4) “Which once he destroyed,”<\/strong> (hen pote eporthei) “which he was then, in the past while among them, destroying,” or obstructing, tearing down or overthrowing, Act 9:21<\/span>; Act 9:26-27<\/span>.<\/p>\n 23. Which once he destroyed. This does not mean that faith (36) may actually be destroyed, but that he lessened its influence on the minds of weak men. Besides, it is the will, rather than the deed, that is here expressed. <\/p>\n (36) ”The word πίστις denotes not only the act of believing, but that which is believed.” — Beza. <\/p>\n (23) Had heard.<\/strong>Rather, were hearing.<\/em><\/p>\n The faith.<\/strong>Not quite, as yet, the body of Christian doctrine, which was in process of forming rather than already formed, but the one cardinal doctrine of faith in Christ. (Comp. Rom. 1:5<\/span>, and Note there.)<\/p>\n 23<\/strong>. <\/strong> They<\/strong> The Judean Christians. <\/p>\n Had heard<\/strong> Rather, were hearing; <\/em> that is, while he was in Syria and Cilicia. Us<\/strong> The sentence glides into the words of the Christians themselves.<\/p>\n Gal 1:23-24<\/span> . ] places in correlation<\/em> to ; it is not, however, to be understood as a mere repetition of the former (Hofmann), for it introduces another [39] subject (Baeumlein, Partik<\/em> . p. 97). The masculine<\/em> refers to the persons<\/em> of whom those consisted. See Pflugk, ad Eur. Hec<\/em> . 39; Winer, p. 586 [E. T. 787]. The participle with<\/em> , however, does not stand for the simple imperfect (Luther renders quite incorrectly, “they had<\/em> heard”), but prominence is given to the predicate as the main point. See Pflugk, ad Eur. Hec<\/em> . 1179. The clause expresses the sole relation in which they were<\/em> to Paul; they were simply in a position to hear<\/em> . “ Rumor<\/em> apud illos erat,” Erasmus. Comp. Vulgate: “tantum autem auditum habebant<\/em> .”<\/p>\n . . .] is explained most simply, not by a supposed transition from the indirect to the direct form (so most expositors, including Rckert and Wieseler), but as the recitativum<\/em> (Matthies, Schott, Hilgenfeld, Ewald, Hofmann), the use of which by Paul is certain not merely in quotations of Scripture, but also in other cases (Rom 3:8<\/span> ; 2Th 3:10<\/span> ). Moreover, the statement thus gains in vividness. In , applies to the Christians generally;<\/em> the joyful information came to them from Christian<\/em> lips (partly from inhabitants of Jerusalem, partly perhaps directly from Syrians and Cilicians). The present<\/em> participle does not stand for the aorist<\/em> (Grotius), but quite substantivally: our (former) persecutor<\/em> . See Winer, p. 331 [E. T. 444]; Bremi, ad Dem. adv. Aphob<\/em> . 17.<\/p>\n ] never means Christian doctrine<\/em> (Beza, Grotius, Morus, Koppe, Rckert, and others), not even in Act 6:7<\/span> , where faith in Christ is conceived as the authority commanding submission (comp. on Rom 1:5<\/span> ); it denotes the faith<\/em> regarded, however, objectively<\/em> . Comp. on Gal 3:2<\/span> ; Gal 3:23<\/span> . He preaches the faith (in the Son of God, Gal 1:16<\/span> ), which formerly he destroyed. On the latter point Estius justly remarks, “quia Christi fidelibus fidem extorquere persequendo nitebatur.” Comp. Gal 1:13<\/span> .<\/p>\n ] does not mean propter me<\/em> (as was generally assumed before Winer), in support of which an appeal was erroneously made to Eph 4:1<\/span> et al.:<\/em> for , used with persons, is never on account of<\/em> (Winer, p. 363 [E. T. 484]); but it means, “they praised God on me<\/em> ,” so that their praise of God was based on me as the vehicle and instrument of the divine grace and efficacy (1Co 15:10<\/span> ). God made Himself known to them by my case, and so they praised Him; , , , Oecumenius. Comp. Joh 17:10<\/span> ; Sir 47:6 . See generally Bernhardy, p. 210; Ellendt, Lex. Soph<\/em> . I. p. 598. It was not, however, without a purpose, but with a just feeling of satisfaction, that Paul added ; for this impression, which Paul then made on the churches in Judaea, stood in startling contrast to the hateful proceedings against him of the Judaizers in Galatia.<\/p>\n Mark further (in opposition to Holstein and others), how Gal 1:23<\/span> rests on the legitimate assumption that Paul preached in substance no other gospel than that which those churches had received from Jerusalem, although they were not yet instructed in the special peculiarities of his preaching; as, in fact, the antagonism between the Pauline teaching and Judaism did not become a matter of public interest until later (Act 15:1<\/span> ).<\/p>\n [39] Hofmann appeals to Eur. Iph. T<\/em> . 1367. But in this, as in the other passages quoted by Hartung, I. p. 169, the well-known repetition of the same word<\/em> with occurs.<\/p>\n DISCOURSE: 2053 Gal 1:23-24<\/span>. They had heard only, that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me<\/em>.<\/p>\n THE account of mens conversion to God is a very profitable subject of contemplation. It tends to illustrate the infinite diversity of ways in which God deals with men, and draws them to himself. St. Paul, on various occasions, mentioned the peculiar manner in which he was turned to God, and brought to the obedience of faith [Note: Acts 9 22<\/span> and 26.]. He adverts to it in the chapter before us, in order to establish beyond contradiction his divine mission. It is not my intention to enter into the circumstances of his conversion, any further than they are referred to in my text: from whence I shall take occasion to shew,<\/p>\n I.<\/p>\n What may be expected of every true convert<\/p>\n It is here taken for granted that he has embraced the faith of Christ The tidings of the Apostles conversion were soon spread far and wide; and the conduct of those who heard of it will shew us, in reference to every other convert,<\/p>\n II.<\/p>\n What reason there is to glorify God on his behalf<\/p>\n In many views is the conversion of a sinner a ground of joy and thankfulness:<\/p>\n 1.<\/p>\n For the benefit accruing to himself<\/p>\n [He was but lately lying dead in trespasses and sins: now he is quickened to a new and heavenly life. He was an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, and a stranger to the covenants of promise: he is now a fellow-citizen with the saints and of the household of God. He was a child of Satan, and an heir of wrath: he is now a child of God, and an heir of heaven. Over such an one the angels in heaven rejoice [Note: Luk 15:10<\/span>.]: yea, over such an one God himself rejoices; killing for him the fatted calf, and making merry with him [Note: Luk 15:32<\/span>. with Zep 3:17<\/span>.]. To this change of state<\/em> must be added his change of nature<\/em> also: and who can contemplate that, and not adopt the language of St. Paul, We give thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, and for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven [Note: Col 1:3-4<\/span>.]? It matters not who he be, or in what quarter of the globe he live; the tidings of this change should draw forth from us the grateful sentiment which was expressed at the conversion of Cornelius; we should glorify God, saying, Then hath God to the Gentiles also granted repentance unto life [Note: Act 11:18<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n For the honour arising to God<\/p>\n [By none except real converts is God honoured in the world: but by them he is admired, and loved, and served, and glorified. In them, too, do all his glorious perfections shine forth. Who can see a true convert, and not admire the forbearance, the mercy, the love, the power, that have been exercised towards him. In the works of creation the wisdom and goodness of God are visible: but in the new creation, there is a combination of all those perfections, which had no scope for exercise till man had fallen, and was redeemed by the blood of Gods only-begotten Son. Can we wonder that the angels, on the first discovery of this work of mercy, burst forth into songs which they had never known before: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men [Note: Luk 2:14<\/span>.]! In truth, this is the one great theme of praise and adoration in heaven: and all who see the subject realized on earth, must, if they have any love to God, rejoice that persons are raised up, to give him the glory due unto his name.]<\/p>\n 3.<\/p>\n For the advantages that may be expected from it to the Church of God<\/p>\n [The conversion of St. Paul, what a benefit was it to the whole world! What a benefit will it be to millions through all eternity! And, though none of us can bear any comparison with him, will any one pretend to estimate the good which the very least amongst us may be the means of effecting in the world? The work of a minister does not cease with his personal ministrations; but is ramified through a whole country, and augmented through all succeeding ages. And the poorest person, by a word spoken, or by his life and conversation, may, like Naamans maid, be the means of converting one, whose influence may extend through a whole kingdom. Every addition therefore to the Church of God, is a ground of joy, and should call forth the devoutest thanksgivings from all to whom the tidings of it are made known.]<\/p>\n Address Those who have never yet embraced the Gospel<\/p>\n [Never has any one yet had occasion to glorify God for you. On the contrary, there has been reason to weep over you incessantly, even to the present hour You may not have been a persecutor of the Church; but you have been an enemy of God and his Christ from your youth up: for the carnal mind is enmity with God, and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. You, therefore, must be converted as much as he. It is not needful that you should be converted in the same way<\/em> as he, or in the same sudden manner;<\/em> but converted you must be, or perish [Note: Mat 18:3<\/span>.]. You must believe as he did; and embrace that very Gospel which he preached. O, beg of God to count you worthy of this calling, and to fulfil in you all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith<\/em> with power; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you<\/em>, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: 2Th 1:11-12<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n Those who profess themselves to have received the Gospel<\/p>\n [See that ye adorn<\/em> the Gospel; that ye adorn it in all things<\/em>. Let the change be as visible in you, as it was in Paul. I mean not that ye are to affect the same ostensible character as he sustained; for ye are not called to that<\/em>: but to live unto God ye are called; and to exert yourselves, according to your opportunities and ability, to promote his glory in the world, ye are called: and therefore to all of you, without exception, I say, Let your light so shine before men, that they, beholding your good works, may glorify your<\/em> Father which is in heaven [Note: Mat 5:16<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n<\/p>\n 23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Ver. 23. Now preacheth the faith<\/strong> ] A marvellous conversion. I was an obstinate Papist (saith Latimer of himself) as any was in England. Insomuch that when I should be made bachelor of divinity, my whole oration went against Philip Melancthon and his opinions. <\/p>\n 23<\/strong> . <\/strong> . <\/strong> <\/strong> ] They<\/strong> (the members of the churches: cf. Eurip. Hec. 39, , ) heard reports<\/strong> (not ‘ had heard<\/em> ,’ as Luth.: the resolved imperfect gives the sense of duration<\/em> : see reff. and passim) that<\/strong> (not the recitative , but the explicative, following . . Mey. remarks that no example is found of the former use of by St. Paul, except in O. T. citations, as ch. Gal 3:8 ) our<\/strong> (better taken as a change of person into the oratio directa<\/em> , than with Mey. to understand as ‘ us Christians<\/em> ,’ the Apostle including himself as he writes) former persecutor<\/strong> (not, as Grot., for , but as , taken as a substantive: see reff.) is preaching the faith<\/strong> (objective, as in reff., and 1Ti 1:19<\/span> b; Gal 3:9<\/span> ; Gal 4:1<\/span> , &c.; but not = the doctrine of the Gospel) which he once was destroying<\/strong> (see on Gal 1:13 ). And they glorified God in me<\/strong> (‘in my case:’ i.e. my example was the cause of their glorifying God: not, ‘ on account of me<\/em> ,’see reff., and cf. , Pind. Nem. iii. 56, , Soph. Aj. 519. Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 210). By thus shewing the spirit with which the churches of Juda were actuated towards him, he marks more strongly the contrast between them and the Galatian Judaizers. Thdrt. says strikingly: , . , .<\/p>\n Gal 1:23<\/span> . The faith<\/em> seems to be here identified with the living body of believers, for this verse describes Saul as making havoc of the faith<\/em> , while Gal 1:13<\/span> applies that term to the Church<\/em> .<\/p>\n had heard = were hearing: i.e. kept hearing. These are strong Imperfects. <\/p>\n the faith. Greek. pistis App-150. <\/p>\n destroyed. Same as “wasted”, Gal 1:13. <\/p>\n 23. . ] They (the members of the churches: cf. Eurip. Hec. 39, , ) heard reports (not had heard, as Luth.: the resolved imperfect gives the sense of duration: see reff. and passim) that (not the recitative , but the explicative, following . . Mey. remarks that no example is found of the former use of by St. Paul, except in O. T. citations, as ch. Gal 3:8) our (better taken as a change of person into the oratio directa, than with Mey. to understand as us Christians, the Apostle including himself as he writes) former persecutor (not, as Grot., for , but as , taken as a substantive: see reff.) is preaching the faith (objective, as in reff., and 1Ti 1:19 b; Gal 3:9; Gal 4:1, &c.; but not = the doctrine of the Gospel) which he once was destroying (see on Gal 1:13). And they glorified God in me (in my case: i.e. my example was the cause of their glorifying God:-not, on account of me,see reff., and cf. , Pind. Nem. iii. 56,- , Soph. Aj. 519. Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 210). By thus shewing the spirit with which the churches of Juda were actuated towards him, he marks more strongly the contrast between them and the Galatian Judaizers. Thdrt. says strikingly: , . , .<\/p>\n Gal 1:23. , he who persecuted) He had been very well known by this name, nor was the name Saul itself so celebrated, as that of the persecutor.<\/p>\n Gal 1:23<\/p>\n Gal 1:23<\/p>\n but they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc;-He who had so violently persecuted them was now preaching the faith in Christ, which he once sought to destroy.<\/p>\n he which: Act 9:13, Act 9:20, Act 9:26, 1Co 15:8-10, 1Ti 1:13-16 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Exo 18:1 – heard Num 23:23 – What hath Isa 32:4 – heart Luk 8:38 – saying 1Co 15:9 – because<\/p>\n Gal 1:23. -not audierant (Estius), nor they had heard (Luther, Brown),-only they were hearing, they continued hearing: fresh and pregnant reports were brought from time to time. The contrasts this clause with the previous . , not the formally, but the members of them. Such constructions are not uncommon. Winer, 21, 58, 67; A. Buttmann, p. 113. The resolved imperfect conveys the idea of duration more fully than the simple tense. The usage is found in classic writers (Khner, 416, 4; Winer, 45, 5), but with a closer connection with the subject than in the freer style of the New Testament, which may in this case be influenced by Aramaic usage. In the Sept. it is chiefly employed in clauses which in Hebrew have a special significance, ubi etiam in Hebraico non sine vi sua adhibita erat, as Gen 4:17, Exo 3:1, where the Hebrew has the same construction of substantive verb and participle, or where there is only a participle, Gen 18:22. The periphrasis occurs often with the future. Thiersch, de Pent. Vers. p. 163. What they were hearing was startling to them: <\/p>\n -that he who once persecuted us, that is, our former persecutor,-the participle with the article losing its temporal significance and becoming a substantive. Schmalfeld, 222; Winer, 45, 7; Schirlitz, 47. The participle is not for (Grotius, Rckert), nor is superfluous (Koppe). The is out of its usual place. According to Schott, Matthies, Hilgenfeld, and Trana, the is recitative; and it might be so if the following clause be regarded as a quotation. They might say one to another, that our former persecutor is now become a preacher. This use of is limited in Paul to quotations from the Old Testament: Gal 3:8, Rom 4:17; Rom 8:36; Rom 9:17; somewhat differently, 2Th 3:10. The address here passes in from the oblique introduced by , to the direct form in the pronoun, as in Act 14:22; Act 23:22, 1Co 14:23; 1Co 14:25. Krger, 65, 11, Anm. 8, gives examples from classical writers, so that the diction here is neither so lax nor inaccurate as Gwynne supposes it. It seems a mere refinement on the part of Meyer to deny the passing of the indirect to the direct form, by alleging that Paul might now as a Christian include himself among the , and call himself our former persecutor. He- <\/p>\n -is now preaching the faith which he once was destroying. Some MSS., the It., and Vulg., with many of the Latin fathers, have . The present and the imperfect are to be taken in their full and proper meaning. <\/p>\n has an objective reference, but not in the later ecclesiastical sense. It was the distinctive pervading element of the new evangel, and soon gave its name to it. Its facts and truths claim faith; its blessings are suspended on faith; its graces are wrought by faith; its Lord and Saviour is the object of faith; and its disciples are called faith-ful-believers. In the New Testament, the word seems always to carry in it reference to the inner principle, the governing power in the soul, for we walk by faith. On , see Gal 1:13. <\/p>\n The result of their knowledge of this momentous and notorious change was- <\/p>\n Gal 1:23. They had heard only. Even though these churches had never met Paul in person, yet the report of his persecution of the saints had reached their ears and filled them with a state of unrest. Now the opposite report was coming to their ears and it brought great relief to them. Hence the writer of Acts says the churches had “rest” upon the ceasing of oppression from this man. (See the comments at Act 9:31 in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.)<\/p>\n Gal 1:23. They were hearing (kept hearing) expresses the idea of duration better than heard.<\/p>\n The faith is used here in the passive or objective sense=the gospel, the Christian religion (not a formulated statement of dogmas, but rather a living system of divine truth); comp. Gal 6:10; Act 6:7; Jude Gal 1:3. In most cases, however, especially in the Gospels, the Greek word has the active or subjective meaning, trust, confidence in God or Christ, and is one of the cardinal Christian virtues; hence Christians are called believers. If used of God, it means his faithfulness, trustworthiness, immutability of purpose (Rom 3:3).<\/p>\n but they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc<\/p>\n 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the {p} faith which once he destroyed.<\/p>\n (p) The doctrine of faith.<\/p>\n But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 23. the faith ] Three principal senses attach to this word in the N. T.: (1) Truth, or truthfulness, trustworthiness; e.g. Rom 3:3, “the faith of God.” (2) Belief of, or confidence in a … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Galatians 1:23”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29025"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29025\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>A mans character goes before him.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Greatly influences the reception he meets with.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>Should be diligently taken care of. (J. Lyth.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The persecutor–full of pride–false zeal–bitterness–destroying the faith.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The preacher–full of humility–devotedness–love–glorying in the crucified Jesus. (J. Lyth.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
GOD GLORIFIED IN HIS PEOPLE<\/strong><\/p>\n
[This is to be taken for granted in all cases: for no man can be a Christian till he has truly come to Christ, seeking mercy at Gods hands through him, even through his obedience unto death. This is the distinctive difference between the Christian and others. Others may possess all that Paul himself possessed in his unconverted state: all his privileges of birth, all his attainments in knowledge, all his zeal in religion, and all his blameless morality; and yet, after all, be in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. It is his deep contrition as a sinner, his utter renunciation of all self-dependence, either in respect to righteousness or strength, and his simple affiance in the Lord Jesus Christ, that must characterize him as a true believer ]
This faith he will endeavour, to the utmost of his power, to advance
[If, like Paul, he have been put into the ministry, he will preach Christ to his people; yea, and will determine to know nothing among them, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified [Note: 1Co 2:2<\/span>.] If he be a private Christian, he will exert himself in every possible way to promote the extension of the Redeemers kingdom. Has he wealth? he will gladly assist in educating pious persons for the service of the sanctuary. Has he influence? he will endeavour to establish faithful ministers in places which seem to afford them scope for more extensive usefulness [Note: If this subject be used on occasion of a Visitation, these hints about the exercise and advancement of the ministry should be considerably diversified and enlarged.] Many of the primitive Christians gave up all that they possessed, that, in so doing, they might help forward the cause of Christ: and though the same sacrifices<\/em> be not required now, the same disposition<\/em> is; and every Christian in the universe should be able to say, I count not even my life dear unto me, so that I may but finish my course with joy, and fulfil my duty to my Lord and Saviour.]<\/p>\n
1.<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"